Vietnam’s National Day marked in Thailand

A ceremony was held in Bangkok on August 30 to celebrate Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day.

President of the Thai Senate Teeradej Meepian and Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul attended the event.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang recalled the glorious days of the 1945 autumn, when millions of Vietnamese people rose up to conduct the revolution to overthrow the colonial regime and liberate the country, opening a new era for the nation.

Since the complete national unification in 1975, Vietnam has recorded proud achievements in its renewal process and Vietnam’s prestige has been constantly improved on the international arena.

On the traditional relationship between Vietnam and Thailand, Ambassador Thang said bilateral cooperation has been constantly expanded in all fields.

At present, the two countries are actively building a comprehensive strategic partnership on the basis of the “Joint Statement on the Vietnam-Thailand Cooperation Framework in the First Decade of the 21st Century”, he said.

Thailand has become one of the most important trade partners of Vietnam, with two-way trade at 7.2 billion USD in 2010, a year-on-year rise of 18 percent.

In addition, Vietnam and Thailand have continued their strong cooperation at regional and international forums, especially in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the United Nations.

Earlier, Ambassador Thang presented the Friendship Order to families of Somboon Rahong, former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and former President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, and Sookprida Phanomyong, former advisor of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association in recognition of their active contributions to promoting the development of cooperative, friendly relations between Thailand and Vietnam.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese diplomat also bestowed 34 medals, orders and certificates of merits of Vietnam to overseas Vietnamese individuals and families in Sa Kaeo, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Phat Thalung and Surat Thani provinces for their contributions to national construction and defence.

Procuracy asked to enhance judicial reform

State President Truong Tan Sang has asked the Supreme People’s Procuracy (SPP) to bring into play its collective brainpower, solidarity and creativity to make important changes in judicial reform to match national construction and defence.

President Sang, who is also Head of the Central Steering Committee on Judicial Reform, made the request at a working session with SPP leaders on the results of implementing the Political Bureau’s Resolution on judicial reform strategy in the people’s procuracy sector.

The SPP said it has instructed procuracy institutes at all levels to increase the practice of supervisory roles as well as the quality of proceedings and trials at courts, to minimise cases of unjust convictions and speed up the settlement of verdicts.

However, mistakes remained, with unjust conviction cases and suspended investigations. Appeals have been enhanced but were still less than corrected and cancelled verdicts.

The State leader took the occasion to hail SPP staff in building a strong, transparent procuracy sector, to gradually meet the requirements of judicial reform and international integration.

He also noted that procuracy institutes at all levels have rejected violations and proposed measures to overcome these cases, to increase the quality and efficiency of judicial activities and protect the State’s interests and legitimate rights and interests of agencies, organisations and citizens.

Sang proposed the sector enhance its sense of responsibility and activity in training cadres, strengthening its apparatus and models of operation in line with its functions and tasks and meeting judicial reform requirements.

Memorial site of late President Ho Chi Minh inaugurated in Udonthani  

Thousands of Vietnamese residents and representatives from relevant agencies in Thailand met in Udonthani province on August 31 to inaugurate the memorial site of late President Ho Chi Minh.

It is located in a place where Nguyen Ai Quoc, then named Thau Chin had stayed for a short time on the way back from Europe to carry out his revolutionary activities.

After cutting the inaugural ribbon of the memorial site, delegates offered incense to late President Ho Chi Minh and heard Le Van Yen, President of the Vietnamese Association in Udonthani talk about the establishment of the site.  

Construction work started in 2003 on an area of nearly 6,400 square metres in Noong On hamlet. The site now has two main sections including a residential area and a multi-functional complex for visitors to see films, books and other souvenirs related to late President Ho Chi Minh.

Addressing the ceremony, the mayor of Udonthani province said this was part of activities marking the 66th anniversary of National Day (September 2) and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Thailand and Vietnam.

He emphasized that studying and researching his activities in the province which played an important part in the Vietnamese people’s historic struggle for independence and freedom.

Party, State leaders pay floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh

A delegation of senior Party, State, Government, National Assembly and Vietnam Fatherland Front leaders has paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum on the occasion Vietnam’s National Day.

Among those present at the function on September 1 were Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong; State President Truong Tan Sang, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Sinh Hung, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Huynh Dam.

Also on hand were former Party General Secretaries Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh; former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An; members of the Party Politburo, members of the Party Central Committee Secretariat, Deputy Prime Ministers, NA Vice Chairpeople, and revolutionary veterans.

On the same day, the delegation laid a wreath at the Martyrs’ Monument in Hanoi.

Earlier on May 18, a number of delegations from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Security, the Hanoi municipal Party Committee and People’s Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the diplomatic corps also paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh.

Leaders congratulate Malaysia’s National Day

State President Truong Tan Sang on August 31 sent a congratulatory message to Tuanku Mizan Zainal Billah Shah, the King of Malaysia, on the country’s 54th National Day.

On the same occasion, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also cabled messages of congratulation to their Malaysian counterparts, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Foreign Minister Anifah Aman.

Vietnam denies illegal timber trade with Laos

Vietnam authorities have rejected claims from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) that Vietnamese companies illegally purchase timber from Laos.

In its Commerce Interchange report, the EIA affirmed that Vietnamese timber companies like Zone 4 Military Technique Cooperation Company, Duc Long, Thanh Thuy, Khanh Thinh, Hoang Phat, and Danang Vinafor, illegally imported wood from Laos to Vietnamese factories.

It is the second report the EIA has published on the illegal timber trade between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association Vice-Chairman and General Secretary Nguyen Ton Quyen said Laotian and Vietnamese customs officers strictly checked timber and followed rules regarding timber export and import activities.

At a press conference held in Hanoi on August 31, Quyen said the Lao government permitted Vietnamese companies to exploit some areas as well as log land that was cleared to construct infrastructure, adding that companies were licensed to export timber which was used for commercial purpose by Lao authorities.

The companies comprehensively fulfilled the financial and tax obligations in accordance with Lao law.

Chinese State Councillor, Singapore FM to visit Vietnam

Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo will join Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan in chairing the fifth session of the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation.

This is part of his visit to Vietnam from September 5-9, which will be made at the invitation of Deputy PM Nhan, said Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga on August 31.

Singapore Foreign Minister K. Shanmugan will pay an official visit to Vietnam from September 8-10 at the invitation of Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

This will be the first visit of Shanmugan in his capacity as Singapore Foreign Minister.

Vietnam hopes to strengthen ties with German state

Vietnam wants to cooperate with the German state of Hessen in the fields of manufacturing and finance to develop the country’s infrastructure and industries of high added value.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai made the statement at a reception for Michael Boddenberg, Hessen Minister of Federal Affairs and Hessen State Representative to the German Federal Government, in Hanoi on August 31.

Mr. Hai expressed his delight at the fine cooperative and friendly relations between Vietnam and Germany and between Vietnam and Hessen state in particular, adding that the signing of a cooperative agreement between the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and Hessen state would contribute to helping SBV enhance its managerial capacity.

Minister Boddenberg said that the visit to Vietnam will offer a chance for both sides to discuss bilateral cooperation in the fields of banking and education, adding that he hoped Vietnam’s banks will join the European financial market in the future.

He also shared Germany’s and Hessen state’s experience in overcoming the global financial crisis and creating jobs for workers in small and medium-sized enterprises, human resource development and infrastructure development.

Vietnam, Paraguay intensify trade and culture cooperation

Vietnam and Paraguay have officially established a joint chamber of commerce, industry and culture.

The inauguration ceremony was held in Paraguay on August 30 in the presence of Paraguayan President Fernando Armindo Lugo Mendez, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Lara Castro, Minister of Industry and Commerce Francisco Rivas Almada, Vietnamese ambassador to Paraguay Nguyen Van Dao, state officials and businesses’ representatives.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Nguyen Van Dao expressed sincere thanks to Paraguay’s Government and people and confirmed that relations between the two countries have been producing promising results.

He also emphasised that the establishment of the chamber is significant in commemorating the 66th year of Vietnam’s National Day. Mr. Dao believed that the friendship will help boost mutual understanding between the two peoples and business communities and develop cooperation potential.

Meanwhile, President of Vietnam-Paraguay chamber of commerce, industry and culture, Pompeyo Lugo spoke about how he has witnessed the rapid growth of Vietnam’s economy after years of struggle for independence in fields of agriculture and basic industry, as well as in new economic sectors.

In addition, he affirmed that Vietnam and Paraguay have much in common and this is a firm foundation for both sides to promote mutual understanding and share experience.

Prime Minister congratulates Japan’s new leader

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has sent a message of congratulations to Yoshihiko Noda on his election as Japan’s Prime Minister.

Noda, 54, was named as Japan’s next prime minister on August 30, the sixth in five years and immediately set to work selecting key ruling party executives to help him achieve his goals of reconstructing quake-ravaged areas and restoring the nation's fiscal health.

Finance Minister Noda, who won the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election on August 29, expressed hope he will choose the new lineup of key party executives as soon as possible before trying to form his Cabinet later this week, according to Kyodo News.

He has taken the helm while the disaster-hit nation faces a myriad of challenges including how to contain the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant as quickly as possible and prevent the yen's surge from hurting Japan’s export-reliant economy.

Outgoing Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his Cabinet resigned en masse the same day to pave the way for Noda to launch his government possibly later this week.

Lao Front delegation visits Son La

A delegation from the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) is on a working visit to Vietnam’s northern mountainous province of Son La, starting from August 30.

The delegation, headed by LFNC Permanent Vice-President Tong Yeuthor, was received by Thao Xuan Sung, Secretary of the Son La provincial Party Committee, on the same day.

At the working session, the two sides briefed each other on their socio-economic performances and outcomes of cooperation between Son La provinces and eight provinces of Laos.

They affirmed that the Vietnam-Laos special friendship has been increasingly consolidated, contributing to maintaining political stability and security along the border line between Son La and Hua Phan and Luang Prabang provinces of Laos.

The three localities have completed the building of 65 border markers along their common border line and planned to erect an additional 12 markers in 2012.

During its stay in Son La, the Lao delegation is scheduled to attend a number of activities to mark the 66th anniversary of Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day (Sept. 2) held in the province, and make a fact-finding tour of Son La hydroelectric plant and economic development models of the locality.

PV